Improvement in poultry-coops



SHEPARD.

Poultry-Coup.

Patgnted Sept 28,1875.

N.FETERS. PHOTQJJTHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTONv D C,

embodies my invention.

UNITED STArns PATENT C'FFICE.

JAMES SHEPARD, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN POULTRY-COOPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 168,1 l 1, datedSeptember 28, 1875; application filed March 11, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I. JAMES SHEPARD, of

' Bristol, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Exhibition Coops, whichI term a collapsible coop, and of which the following is aspecification:

My invention consists of the peculiar construction, combination, andarrangement of devices, all as hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevation of anexhibition-coop which Fig. 2 is a perspectiveviewof the same as itappears when collapsed for transportation or storage. ;Fig. 3 is avertical section of the same on -line w w of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section of the same on line yy of Fig. 1, and Fig.5 is anenlarged view of a detached part.

A A designate the top and bottom portions of the coop, the sameconsisting of drawershaped frames boarded upon the bottom of thelower-part, as shown in Fig. 8, and the upper part slatted at the top,as shown in Fig. 2;

but, if desired, stead of slatted.

The front rails to a of the top and bottom A A are bored to receive thevertical rounds c c, the top rail a being bored entirely through, andthe bottom rail a is bored from its top partway through, so that theends of the holes form a stop for the rods or rounds c c. I prefer tomake the bottom holes a little smaller than the holesin the upper rail,so that the rods 0 cmay be crowded in so snugly as to hold the top mightbe boarded inthem in place beyond any liability to become accidentallyremoved.

The top and bottom A A are held apart by four removable posts, I) b b b,an enlarged view of one end of which is shown in Fig. 5, and in I vwhich at designates a supporting-shoulder,

against which the rails of the top and bottom rest, as shown in Fig. 3.One sideof the posts 12 b b b are beveled, as shown in Fig. 4. The endsof said posts rest in dovetailed recesses c c, Fig. 2, and with theirbeveled edge toward the corners of the coop, as shown most clearly inFig. 4. Dovetailed wedges or keys h h are driven into the dovetailedrecesses and at the square side of the post, which keys hold the postsfirmly in place, so that the top and bottom A A are well supported.

In Figs. 1, 3, and 4, the rounds or rods 0 c are represented as inplace, so as to form the open-work front of the coop, which may beprovided with any ordinary or suitable slide or gate, B.

The back and two sides of the coop are of cloth, the upper and loweredges (which are generally the selvage edges) of which cloth arepermanently secured to the top and bottom A A. I prefer to secure theedges of the cloth in a rabbet by means of strips n and small nails. Theend edges of the cloth are hemmed, and are passed a short distanceinward toward each other at the front, and should stop either back of orinside of the posts b b, as shown at 0 0, Figs. 1 and 4. By thus passingthe edge of the cloth around the corner, it will tend to prevent thefowls in two coops placed side by side from getting their heads togetherand fighting, and if a bird attempts to push back the edge 0 of thecloth, it is prevented from so doing by the post 12, whereas, if theedge of the cloth were outside the post, it might be pushed open so faras to let the birds escape. Therefore, I securely fasten the edge of thecloth without the trouble of passing a rod through a shirr formed at itsend, as is necessary with some other coops having cloth sides.

The cloth, when the coop is expanded, should be so slack as not to drawhorizontally, but

should be drawn quite taut in a vertical direction, so as to hold thecloth smooth.

In order to secure the cloth properly I first set up the coop with poststhat are about onehalf of an inch shorter than the post proper, and thensecure the clothso that it is just smooth, but without stretching it, sothat when the coop is 'set up with the posts properthe cloth is strainedvertically just enough to hold it smooth. In case, however, that postsare placed upon the inside of the cloth to strain it over it may bedrawn horizontally; but in order to prevent injury to the feathers ofthe caged birds I place all the posts upon the outside of the clothwalls, so that the interior of said cloth walls are smooth and free fromall obstructions.

2 I I idsuii By following the foregoing directions the cloth willconform substantially to the shape of the top and bottom parts; butifitis strained much horizontally, when the posts are upon the outside,theportion midway between the top and bottom or framed sides will berounded so much as to be unsightly and objectionable. If desired, apiece of cloth may be sewed upon the inside of the folding cloth wallsupon two sides of the coop to form pockets p p, which may be used asfeed-bags to put grain or other food in; or adrinking-cup, 1", may beplaced in one of the bags or pockets, as shown at the right in Fig. 4.These pockets answer all the purposes of an ordinary feed box or cup,and are readily folded with the cloth sides, so as to be entirely out ofthe way and always ready for use. V

When desired to contract the coop into a small space for convenience oftransportation or for storage, the rods 0 c and posts I) b b b areremoved and placed inside at the bottom of the coop, when the clothsides are folded inward with a bellows fold, and the top and bottomcollapse or come together, all as shown in Fig. 2. The wedges h h areplaced at the back and upon the outside of the cloth, which, when foldedinward, form a tight bag, from which the wedges cannot escape so long asthe top and bottom frames are held together.

Several ooops thus collapsed may be placed together, and a lath or thinstrip nailed at the corners, as in bunching window-sash, which is allthe packing that will ordinarily be required for shipping.

I have herein described the details which I consider preferable for anexhibition-coop; but

it is, of course, evident that-some of these details may be variedwithout changing the operation of the other parts; for instance, thecloth might be nailed to the side or edges of the frames without lettingit into a rabbet, and the posts and rounds may be differently secured inplace without changing the operation of the other parts, provided therounds and posts are removable.

In case it is desired to make a coop for transporting fowls instead ofexhibiting them, the rounds may bGOlllllJtBd, and the whole of the sidesformed of cl0th,,and the post placed outside of the cloth, as beforedescribed.

I claim as my invention 1. 1n a poultrycoop, the top and bottom A A, incombination with the removable posts and flexible cloth sides, alloperating together so as to expand or collapse the coop, substantiallyas described.

2. In a poultry-coop, the combination of the top and bottom A A, havingdovetailed recesses e e 0 0, with the removable and shouldered posts b bI) b and wedges h h h h, all substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

3. In a poultry-coop, the two framed sides, in combination with theremovable posts placed at the outer edges of said framed sides, andthree or more cloth sides placed inside of said posts, the form of thecloth walls being imparted by means of the two framed sides, allsubstantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES SHEPARD.

Witnesses:

GEo. A. GOWDY, HENRY A. MITCHELL.

